KABUL, May 3, 2021 - On World Press Freedom Day, the Afghanistan Journalists Center (AFJC) expressed deep concern over the rising number of targeted attacks resulting in the deaths of journalists and media workers in Afghanistan. In the past 12 months alone, at least 11 journalists and media professionals have lost their lives due to deliberate violence, marking a significant increase from the previous year's figure of five deaths.
While the Afghan media landscape has witnessed significant growth since 2001, the current situation for journalists and the media in the country has become incredibly complex, alarming, and ambiguous. Regrettably, press freedom remains under constant threat both in Afghanistan and around the world, even 28 years after the declaration of World Press Freedom Day.
Despite progress, journalists and media workers in Afghanistan continue to pay a high price for their dedication and hard work to cover events through words and images. AFJC has documented a total of 111 violations during this period, including the targeted killings of 11 journalists. Furthermore, an additional 100 press violations, such as threats, injuries, physical and verbal harassment, detentions, insults, humiliations, and abductions have been documented since the previous World Press Freedom Day on May 3, 2020.
According to AFJC's data, Daesh(IS-K) has claimed responsibility for seven out of the 11 fatal attacks on journalists and media workers, the Taliban is accused in three cases, and one remains attributed to unidentified individuals.
Threats represent the most prevalent form of press violation, accounting for 46 cases, followed by 16 incidents of injury, 12 cases of physical harassment, 10 instances of insult and misbehavior, eight armed attacks, five arrests, and three abductions. These violations were committed by various actors, with 46% perpetrated by the government (including local authorities, police, and security forces), 24% by unidentified individuals, 19% by the Taliban, 7% by Daesh(IS-K), and 4% by warlords.
"On World Press Freedom Day, we solemnly remember the 121 journalists and media workers who have lost their lives in Afghanistan since 2001," stated AFJC Executive Director Ahmad Quraishi. "We commend the bravery of those who continue to risk their lives to report the news and call for justice for the fallen. It is crucial to recognize that journalism is not a crime, especially as we navigate the consequences of a potential new political settlement resulting from the peace deal."
Quraishi further emphasized the urgent need to address the increasing targeted killings of journalists and media workers, which not only violate their rights to a safe and secure working environment but also instill fear and self-censorship throughout the country.
In March 2021, AFJC, alongside 40 other civil society organizations from across the globe, sent a letter to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) and the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), urging them to stand in solidarity with Afghan journalists and support efforts to ensure their safety and media freedom. The letter underscored the vital role journalists play in fostering a peaceful and democratic transition during and after ongoing peace negotiations.